Ugh. => Phew.

Ugh.

I got a fax last week from the school I go to on tuesdays saying "No class on tuesday November 10th" This means that, instead of going to that school, I'd just have to go to my base school and lounge around all day. Not too difficult.

This morning (Tuesday, November 10th) I woke up with a cold/some-kinda-virus and went to school. I did what I normally do, sit at my desk and not look at the clock as long as I can. I also try to avoid using the computer as long as I can... but then around 9am I decided I needed to use the internet to look up my symptoms online and see if maybe I'm allergic to something in my house.

Then the phone rang at school. I heard one of the teachers speaking in Japanese saying "Yes, yes, he's right here. Oh... he should be there? I will give the phone to him." They pass the phone to me. "Hello?" "Yes, hello, you should be at THIS school today, please!" "You sent me a fax that said there were no classes." "Yes. You have three classes today." "Huh? Really?" "Yes. Your first class will start in 15 minutes." I took a deep breath and said "You better check your tone with me, lady. Don't ever try and rush me, ever." Ok, I didn't say that. I didn't even think it. I could tell she was totally stressed since I wasn't there. The problem was that I felt awful, it takes about 25 minutes to drive there, and that the students there are really loud and energetic so it's really draining... not good for me today.

I got in my car and did what any person in my case would do. I drove to 7-11. I knew this would set me back a few minutes, but only 1 or 2. It would allow me to get some kind of energy drink, though. So I got a little energy drink and some carbs. I made it to school and was about 10 minutes late to my class, the other teacher had already started.

After that class some other teachers came to tell me I could never be late again. I showed them the fax they sent me and were all kind of doing a "hmm, I wonder who wrote that." kind of vaudeville looking routine where they'd point at someone else and that person would point to someone else and then that person would point to someone else and then suddenly they'd be in a human knot and all get pied in the face.

Anyway, I got here, had my 3 classes. The 4th class the one that got cancelled. When they said "We have no class on Tuesday." they meant "One of your classes will be cancelled." I politely apologized, though. I wasn't mad at them, they were even trying to be polite by sending me a message in English. I just showed them a better way to do it for next time.

Even though I felt really bad the class was pretty easy. I had to explain how to play the game "Guess Who" and then we played guess who with the whole class of 40 playing and one student would come up to the front. They ended up liking it a lot. So... phew.

That's my story for today.

Here is a link to something I find really really cool.

I've grown more and more interested with Japanese history. Mostly photos and art from the Meiji and Edo period of Japan.

Here are some "stereoview" pictures of Japan from the late Meiji period in Japan. They also added color to them. There is something so cool about seeing old photographs from anywhere. It's like looking at another planet sometimes.

http://pinktentacle.com/2009/10/animated-stereoviews-of-old-japan/

If the 'jumping' of the photos is too much, you can click the title under the photo and it will take you to a link where it's just the photos.

Anyway, enjoy.